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What I hope is coming from this sharing is a reminder. This reminder is to release the egoic demand for Grace to appear as you in advance have decided Grace should or would or will appear. Letting go is a letting go into “Yes.” In this Yes one relaxes and feels an expansiveness, a positivity, for fear is no longer clutching to a present, a present that is only a continuation of the past. Then arises a calm expectancy, or trust, that Good is coming, but one feels no need to decide in advance or know in advance what that Good is.
This can be practiced in the Silence. One way is to use, if you need to, a technique to quiet, that is, to center down, as the Quakers say. Allow the body to be enveloped by the Quiet. Rest here. Do not grasp at returning to a technique. When you become anxious or impatient, return to the body, inviting silently the body back into relaxing in the embrace of Silence. Allow thoughts and feelings to come and go, be gently with them. Gently place attention on how the Silence manifests. You may feel this like to currents moving about, at different locales in the body. At times, you may sense the Silence outside the body, even at another place than where the body is. At other times, you may sense the Silence inside the body. At other times, Silence inside and outside, as well alternating between outside and inside. Regardless of the sense of Silence that becomes, relax, breathe kindly, and return as often as needed to simply-being-here.
So, here, this practice allows a time of Quiet in which one does not utilize technique that focuses on acquiring anything, even peace-of-mind. One is in a posture of trust, of waiting quietly, with no goal, knowing one is resting in the all-potential of Grace. This kind of work is a pilgrimage in letting go, of surrender of the lesser to the Greater, of trust in Life. One is not trying to get enlightenment, the presence of God, peace-of-mind, to hear divine guidance, or anything. This, then, is a practice in growing into a more trusting relationship with Life, one of letting go and receiving from the spaciousness left open-to-receive by the surrender of what has been to what can be.
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In theistic devotional language, the early Quaker John Bellers’ speaks of this process.
Do thou enable us, O Lord, to prostrate ourselves in deep humility before Thee, with our wills subjected and resigned unto Thy holy will in all things. … Make us, O Lord, what is right in Thy sight, suitable to the beings which Thou hast made us and the stations which Thou hast placed us in, that … nothing that we enjoy may become a snare unto us; but that the use and strength of all that we receive from Thy bountiful hand may be returned unto Thee….
*David Johnson. A Quaker Prayer Life. As quoted from W.C. Braithwaite. The Second Period of Quakerism.
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An Aspiration Prayer
may all beings feel loved and freely loving
may their suffering be transformed into bliss
and grace given to alleviate the suffering of others
that all may live in the fullness of love, joy, and peace.
Amen ~ We say joyfully It is so!
*William O'Brien Fine Art. 'Peace'. Flickr
(C) Brian K. Wilcox, 2019. Brian can be contacted at 77ahavah77@gmail.com .
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